Going Home
by Bekah Rose
Summary: Buffy and Giles are married now, and are heading home to Sunnydale for a family reunion with teh scoobies. *Warning* Character death.


Going Home

**Title: **Going Home

**Author: **Bek Allen

**Summary: **Buffy and Giles are happily married. Have been for 8 years. They live in Devon in England and have three gorgeous triplets. They go home to Sunnydale for a Family Reunion with the Scooby Gang. **WARNING** Character death. (Hello, it's Sunnydale!! Nothing good happens there.)

**Rating: **G…although, there is Character death.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. Literally. This all belongs to Joss and the other Gods who make Buffy possible. I just got a little bored and decided to play with them for a little while.

**Notes: **Buffy and Giles are married. They live in England. They have triplets. This story is a "set in the far away future" AU. Xander didn't leave Anya at the alter in season 6; Tara didn't die in season 6, so Willow didn't have to try and destroy the world in season 6. Spike became human by way of the oracles. (To be told in a later chapter of this story) Willow and Tara's whole "True Love" was just a tryst. Tara and Willow have gone their separate ways, but are still friends and Tara and Spike are happily married.****

**Dedication: **To Tara~Maclay. You gave me a really good idea and I jumped on it. To my Mum who beta-ed this for me, under the guise that it was an assignment for University with different characters and a different title. You are seriously the best mum ever. And lastly, to my William. The triplets are ours!! Muwahahahaha! 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy sighed as the car hurtled down the freeway. Her mind on the trouble she knew was to come. She sighed again; secretly wishing the car would turn around and head back to the airport. It wasn't too late to change the airline tickets. She could be back in Devon by the following day and it would have been as though nothing had ever happened.

"Are you okay Love?" Her husband asked from the driver's seat of the rental car.

"Peachy." She gave him a wry smile and turned to check the back seat.

"Don't lie to me Buffy. What's wrong?" He gave her, his 'I've known you too long, don't lie to me' look.

"I guess I just don't want to go back to Sunnydale." She reached across and touched his cheek. "I don't want to run the risk of anything bad happening. Not when Tara and Spike have gone to so much trouble. And not when we've decided to bring the triplets." She turned again to look into the backseat at the three toddlers sound asleep.

"Buffy - "

"Rupert," She smiled at him. "Yes, I know. Stop worrying."

He laughed. She still very much reminded him of the young girl she had once been. And even after eight years of marriage, she still managed to amaze him. "Yes, stop worrying."

"But what if H - "

"He won't. Tara and Spike promised me that your father was not welcome. They made sure he was going to be off on a business trip." He smiled and reached for her hand as they neared their turn-off.

"Promise?" She gripped his hand as he pulled into the exiting lane that would take them back to where they first met.

"Cross my heart. Now, please close your eyes and get some rest. We've got at least another half hour before we get to Tara and Spike's."

"Yes Dear." She leaned across and kissed his cheek before settling against the door and closing her eyes.

He really was her other half, her soul mate. He knew everything she was thinking, more often then not, before she even did. The age difference hadn't bothered her when they first met, it didn't bother her now. Twenty years wasn't so big a gap. And, being in California, no one disputed the age difference. When people ask them how they met. They gaze at each other, seeing the turmoil and heartache and joy reflected in each other's eyes and just say "Destiny."

There was no doubt in his mind that he loved her and he'd do anything for her. He glanced sideways at her sleeping form. However, he would not tear apart the little family she had left, and he would not let her continue to keep her self away from the people that had become her brother and sisters on the off chance that she might see her father. He smiled at the thought of seeing them all again. Xander and Spike were the closest things he had to sons of his own. Then came the girls, Buffy, Tara, Willow and Anya. Then finally, there was Dawn, the baby of their 'family'. 

He frowned as he glanced in the rear-view at his sleeping children. This would be the first time their Aunts and Uncles would have a chance to meet them. Three years was too long for anyone to go without meeting the most wonderful young people he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing. The triplets were growing faster each day. Their first birthday would be in three days and Rupert wanted more then anything for his and Buffy's family to be there to celebrate.

He hit the indicator switch as he turned down the street towards Tara and Spike's house. The car jolted as he hit a hole in the road, waking up the triplets and Buffy. "Sorry! Sorry!" He cursed under his breath as the children began to giggle, cry and scream.

Buffy laughed. "You better pull over so I can calm at least one of them down." She smiled at him as he pulled to the side of the road and came to a stop. "Well, I guess we can tell that baby Alexander takes after his Uncle Xander." She stretched as she opened the car door and stepped out.

"What makes you say that Buffy?" Rupert asked, stepping out of the car and opening the back to reach for the gurgling little girl closest to him. "Hello Bella, you're awfully happy to see Daddy." He grinned as she blew spit bubbles in his face. He smiled and placed her back in her car seat, reaching for the other crying baby.

"Shhh, Alex. Come on." Buffy unstrapped him and held him to her. "Daddy's sorry. He didn't mean to wake you up."

"I certainly did not." The cultured British accent spat out as he spoke softly to the second little girl in his arms.

Buffy laughed and looked at her son. "We're almost to Aunty Tara's, will you be good for Mommy?" By way of answer, he snuggled closer to her and smiled with bright green eyes. She kissed his forehead, "How's Mackenzie?" She asked Rupert as she bent to return the sleeping child to his car seat.

"I think she may be hungry." He kissed Mackenzie's pale blond curls and tickled Isabella under the chin as he moved out of the car and started to close the door.

"How much longer until we're at Tara and Spike's?" Buffy asked as she slid into the front seat beside him and leaned over to steal a soft kiss.

"About five minutes." He started the engine and pulled away from the curb. "They bought the house that we looked at just before we moved to England."

"Okay." She reached for his hand and held it tightly as they drove in companionable silence for the last few blocks to her sister's home.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy looked at the back seat as the car slid into the drive. The now awake triplets were happily gurgling at each other and waving around small teddy bears. She smiled as Mackenzie, the youngest triplet looked at her and scrunched up her nose and gave her a toothless grin. Isabella and Alex were enthusiastically waving teddy bears at the letterbox and a tree that the car had rolled to a stop next to.

"Buffy?" A tall blond came running off the front porch, flinging herself at the shorter blond before she had a chance to step out of the car. "Oh my God Buffy! I didn't think you'd come! I was so worried about you deciding not to show up just in case your Dad showed up." She had stepped back to let Buffy out of the car. "Hi R-Rupert." She opened her arms to welcome him as he walked around the car to take the bags from the boot.

"Tara," He hugged her tightly, "it is so wonderful to see you." He turned back to the boot of the car and began lifting bags out and putting them down.

"Need a hand Rupes?" Spike walked up and shook his hand. He picked up two of the suitcases and motioned for Rupert to follow him into the house, leaving the two girls to talk.

"You'll…" He looked to Buffy.

"I'll bring them in, don't worry. And yes, the pram is in the back.  I know, I know." She smiled and waved him on into the house. Smiling she pulled the young woman into a massive hug. "Aw Tara, I've missed you so much. Are Will and Xander here yet?" She stepped away, opening the back door to the car.

"Not yet, Xander is finishing up for the day before he goes home and has a shower, and Willow has a staff meeting at the University, but she'll be here in time for dinner and Dawn's train should be here in an hour, Spike is going to meet her. I still can't believe she's at Berkley. I mean, we all went to Sunnydale, but Dawnie, she's a Berkley girl now." Tara's face shone with pride for the girl they happily called their baby sister who was about to turn twenty.

"She's been there for almost two years now Tara." Buffy laughed as she leant into the car and unstrapped the triplets. "Ah, Alex, let go of Mommy's hair. Ow, ow, ouch." She winced, as his little iron grip got tighter around a fistful of her hair. She carefully leaned back and pried his little fingers away from her hair. "Not funny Alexander Phillip Giles." She wagged her finger in his face as he giggled at her. It wasn't long before Buffy, Mackenzie and Isabella where giggling as well. "You're an evil little boy Alex. Just like your Dad." She smiled as she lifted him out of his car seat and turned to face Tara.

"He's gorgeous Buffy." Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "Can I h-hold him?" She began to stutter, a trait she'd managed to control since they first met during their first year of college. When Tara and Willow had been lovers.

"You sure can. There's three of these little monsters to take inside and I've only got two hands." She smiled and leant back into the car and took Mackenzie into her arms. "Okay, Alex and Mackenzie, this is your Aunty Tara, be nice to her while I get your sister out of the car please." She blew a raspberry on Mackenzie's cheek and she squealed in delight as her mother handed her over to her Aunt.

"I still can't believe you had triplets Buffy." Tara gushed. "It's hard enough with one, I don't know how you manage with three." She lavished her niece and nephew with kisses to their upturned faces.

"It's easy really. Rupert comes home early from the University, leaving me the four hours in the afternoon to go and teach my own classes." She picked up a smiling Isabella who clapped and cooed as her mother shut and locked the car doors. "And this, is Isabella. Isabella, this is your Aunty Tara." She pointed to where Tara stood holding a giggling Alex and Mackenzie. "And, speaking of only just coping with one child. Where's my Goddaughter? I expected her to be rushing into her Aunt Buffy's arms the moment we pulled into the driveway."

Tara laughed and began to follow Buffy into the house. "She is with her Aunt Anya and her cousins Karen and Louise. She'll be here when Xander and Anya get here. She's been babbling non-stop for the past three days about her Aunt Buffy and Uncle Rupert coming all the way here from England with the new babies. She missed you so much after you left."

"I promise we'll visit more often Tara, it's just, with the new dance school and the triplets and Rupert's job at Oxford, we haven't really had the time." Buffy frowned at her sister. "And, you guys are more then welcome at our home any time. You know that." Tara nodded and walked in through the opened door just ahead of Buffy.

"So, these are my nieces and my nephew." Spike said as he walked in from the kitchen. He scooped Alex up from Tara's arms and began to toss him in the air where Alex began to giggle hysterically and Mackenzie and Isabella looked on in awe. "Poor little guy looks just like his Dad." He smiled at Buffy and winked.

"I heard that William." Rupert playfully smacked the back of ex-vampire's head. "Drop my son and I'll drop you." He leant over and kissed each of his daughter's on the nose. "At least the girls look like their mother." He smiled as he ran his hands through Isabella's soft golden curls. 

"I'm here! I'm here! Did I miss anything?" They all turned their heads towards the door. 

"**We're** here Will. Not just you. All of us." A tall man with dark hair pushed through the door, followed by a short red head and a tall brunette. "Buffy!" He cried the moment he saw the former Slayer. 

Rupert barely managed to take Isabella from Buffy's arms as Xander rushed to her and picked her up in a giant bear hug. "I've missed you so much Buffy." He kissed her forehead as he put her down.

"Not as much as me!" The young red head shoved Xander aside and threw her arms around Buffy's neck, almost knocking them to the floor.

"Willow!" Buffy managed to choke out between giggles. "You're acting like you've never seen me in a million years."

"Well, it has been three years Buff. And, three years is a long time for us Scoobies to be apart. Oh! The babies!" She moved around Buffy to quickly hug Rupert before taking the squirming Isabella in her arms. "This one's Isabella isn't it?" She asked, looking up at Rupert as Buffy hugged Anya and her niece's hello.

Rupert nodded his head as Xander walked over and gave him a quick hug. "So, where's my namesake?" He asked jokingly. 

"Ask Spike, last I saw, he was tossing little Alex around in the air." Rupert gave a small laugh as Tara gave him a small smirk.

"He-he had to go put on a clean sh-shirt. Little Alex kind of, threw up on him. S-serves him right." She pointed to the small playpen they had set up for the triplets and to a happily gurgling Alex who was playing with a teddy bear.

The house was buzzing with the sounds of a happy family. Spike had come back down in a clean shirt and they were all sitting in the living room talking over coffee and watching the girls play with the triplets. 

"Wow, Amelia has gotten so big." Buffy told Tara as she handed her another cup of coffee.

"I'm eight now Aunt Buffy." She smiled as she resumed tickling Mackenzie. "And Karen and Louise are six almost." At the sound of their names, the twins looked up and smiled shyly at their Aunt.

"Shouldn't Dawnie be here by now?" Willow asked Tara.

"Yes. I'm about to go and pick her up at the train station. I shouldn't be too long." Spike stood up and stretched. "We'll be back in time for dinner. The rest of you should go and get cleaned up while Tara and Willow get ready to serve…" The doorbell cut him off. 

"Maybe she got sick of waiting for you William, you're half an hour late to pick her up." Rupert smiled at the young man. "If it is her, I'd hide somewhere quickly."

"Giles's right Spike." Xander agreed, "If that is Dawn, then, boy are you gonna get it, Tara's husband or not. She'll still kick your ass." Spike shook his head as he approached the door.

He opened it slowly to reveal two uniformed police officers. "Can I help you officers?"

"Yes, we're looking for a Tara Barret or a Buffy Giles." Buffy walked to the front door.

"I'm Buffy Giles. How can I help you?" She looked at the officers questioningly.

"May we come in?" The young officer took off his hat and looked down. Spike nodded and led the way to the living room. "We tried calling your house Mrs. Giles, but, the lady that answered told us we'd find you here, and if not, then we'd find a Mrs. Tara Barret."

"I'm Tara Barret." Tara stuck her head around the doorframe. "What seems to be the problem officers?"

"There's been an accident." The older officer stated.

"What kind of accident?" Willow piped up coming in behind her ex-lover.

"I'm unaware if you've heard the news this evening." The officers continued softly, "But there was a train wreck this afternoon, a head on collision with a freight train, the train involved was the six o'clock train from Los Angeles to Sunnydale. Your sister, Dawn was the first one we pulled from the wreckage. I'm so sorry."

Xander's face drained of its usual rosy tan and his hands went slack at his sides. Willow dropped instantly to the floor and Spike rushed to Tara's side as she began to slump against the wall. Buffy's eyes shone bright with tears at the thought of losing her baby sister.

"Officer, are you sure it was Dawn Summers?" Rupert's expression was one of shock and dismay. 

"She was carrying a purple leather purse with her Berkley I.D card, a credit card, a driver's license and a list of people to contact in case of an emergency."

"She'll be transported to the county hospital in the next few hours so you can identify the body. I'm sorry for your loss." The officers rose as one and moved to leave.

"Yes, thank you officers." Rupert saw them to the door. It was mere moments after the door had clicked shut that the house was once again a buzz of noise. This time, the noise was a wail of pain. The girl they called their baby sister, Dawn, was dead. Willow was screaming that it couldn't be true, Tara was crying and sobbing in Spike's arms, Xander was holding Anya as she sobbed into his shirt and Buffy was holding onto Isabella.

Rupert sighed; he'd call Oxford tomorrow and then call the dance school. He'd call the housekeeper and tell her they'd be delayed until he could get back to England to finalise everything. There was no way they'd be going home now.


End file.
